I remember going to an Allman Brothers show at New York's Beacon Theater a number of years ago and thinking how sad it was the auditorium was filled with aging hippies.

These die-hards were wearing the same tie-dye T's they'd worn more than 40 years ago, and the last few colored strands of long hair stuck out from their sparse ponytails among the silver-and-flesh-toned backdrop of their gray or balding heads. These were the guys who refused to change with the times.

Had the owners of Boulder restaurant Minglewood been these types of '70s music fans, I'd expect to see a menu of nothing but grilled cheese, made of individually wrapped American cheese singles and margarine on Wonder Bread.

From the paraphernalia on the walls at this shrine to the Grateful Dead, Bob Weir and RatDog, Phil Lesh, Jefferson Airplane and Jack Casady, I wasn't too sure what to expect to see on the menu, let alone the plate at Minglewood.

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But there was nary a tapestry nor a black light in sight.

On the set list -- hot and cold sandwiches made with house-roasted and sliced meats such as pork loin and roast beef. All sandwiches come on home-baked rounds of bread. You'll find a variety of entree salads, soup du jour and a smattering of fresh-baked desserts. Each sandwich comes with your choice of green salad, chips or side salad of the day.

In addition to its already-stacked menu, Minglewood offers specials such as this roast leg of lamb panini with arugula, red onions, artichokes, smoked mozzarella and roast peppers, with pomodoro sauce on the side, and a cucumber salad.
(Jeremy Papasso/Daily Camera)

A full bar is tucked away in the back corner of the space, making Minglewood a great spot to stop for a drink after a long work day along the Arapahoe corridor.

Partake in any number of happy-hour specials, listed by the day on the table tent. For example, Wednesday is "I asked him for water and he poured me some wine" day, where every bottle of wine is half-price. It'll cost you a little more than a dime on "Now pretty baby if you go, leave me a dime for a beer" Tuesday, but you'll still pay only three bucks for a pint. With five beers on tap ranging from Torpedo Extra IPA by Sierra Nevada Brewing to Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, from Denver's Great Divide Brewing, you're sure to find something that suits your malted fancy. If a smooth shot of whiskey is more your style, head to Minglewood on Mondays for "The bottle was dusty but the liquor was clean" day, where you can shoot back any well drink for $3.

Two of the three half-sandwiches we sampled from "Uncle John's" cold sandwich selections proved to be solid representations of East Coast-style deli preparations.

The Graham -- red onion-studded white albacore tuna salad -- is heaped into a white roll and topped with romaine lettuce and Minglewood's signature balsamic roasted dried tomatoes. If you like a mayonnaise-y tuna salad, this one's sure to please. The Butterfield -- house-roasted prime beef with provolone and beet horseradish mayonnaise -- didn't let little things such as lettuce and tomato get in the way of the slow roasted beef flavor. My only gripe with this sandwich is that there was only one thickly cut slice of provolone rather than a few thinner slices; to me, it's all about flavor surface area. The last selection from the cold side was a more non-traditional shaved pork loin sammy. The Wavy boasted sliced, house-roasted pork loin with a mango salsa and an orange curry mayo. However, a heavy hand with the cinnamon in the salsa overwhelmed the sandwich and overshadowed the succulent flavors of the marinated roast pork.

I'd have preferred a choice for my bread options for the cold offerings, as I'm typically more partial to a whole grain, but used for a hot-pressed sandwich, this bread was phenomenal. I ordered the "Pride of Man" from the "Fat Man Melts" section of the menu: prosciutto, roasted red peppers, fresh mozz, balsamic tomatoes, basil pesto and crushed chilies mingle together in this sandwich fit for King Jerry Garcia himself. Each component was finely tuned and seasoned, coming together to create beautiful mouth music. As a side note, I opted for the side salad du jour, a red onion and cucumber salad with red wine vinegar. A generous hand with the vinegar lent a fresh pickle flair to the salad, making it a great accompaniment to the panini, a fine crunch and a palate-cleansing experience in one.

In addition to the sandwiches, I tried an entree salad. "The Straight," a portabella mushroom cap stuffed with fresh spinach and topped with pomodoro sauce and melted fontina cheese was served on a bed of mixed greens. You can tell the pomodoro sauce came from somebody's Italian mother's recipe, as it was spot-on, but I'd have preferred this mushroom on top of a pile of pasta. Served over the greens, the salad melted into a puddle of pomodoro.

You can probably ask for it with pasta in the evening, when Minglewood makes the best use of its lunch components to provide substantive supper selections. You can find Italian family favorites such as chicken parm, fried eggplant and ravioli, as well as an all-you-can-eat pasta dinner every evening.

The owners of Minglewood are dedicated to providing a home-cooked meal, all the hospitality they can muster and a welcoming environment in which to mingle.

Instead of "living on reds, vitamin C and cocaine," you should come grab a value-priced gourmet sandwich or family style dinner with some Italian flair and feed your musical soul with real Philly-style food.

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